Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. Including a superb collection of medals to the King’s German Legion, Police Medals from the Collection of John Tamplin and a small collection of medals to the Irish Guards

A Great War D.S.M. group of five awarded to Flying Officer S. J. Edwards, Royal Air Force, late Royal Naval Air Service

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (191047 P.O. Mech., R.N.A.S., 1917); 1914-15 Star (191047 P.O. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (191047 P.O., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (191047 P.O. 1 Cl., H.M.S. Vengeance) generally extremely fine (5) £700-800

D.S.M. London Gazette 1 May 1918. The recommendation states: ‘For exceptional zeal and ability in the training of Officers and men at Leysdown under very difficult conditions. An extremely hard working Instructor. He has done much for the efficiency of the Air Service.’

Samuel John Edwards was born in King’s Lynn, Norfolk in February 1879 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in October 1896. The advent of hostilities in August 1914 found him serving as a Petty Officer 1st Class aboard the battleship H.M.S. Vengeance but he came ashore to take up an appointment in Pembroke in July 1915, and shortly thereafter transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service. Edwards subsequently served at R.N.A.S. Eastchurch and Leysdown as a gunnery instructor and was appointed to a commission as a Technical Officer in the newly formed Royal Air Force in April 1918. Advanced to Flying Officer in October 1919, he would appear to have retired in the early 1920s.

Sold with original portrait photograph, parchment R.N. Certificate of Service and a pamphlet for ‘Turret Instruction - “Irresistible” Class’.